


Welcome to the the real world

by Rakkan



Category: No. 6 (Anime & Manga), No. 6 - All Media Types, No. 6 - Asano Atsuko
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prison, It's not as terrible as it sounds I swear, M/M, Mentions of Prostitution, Nezumi is a convict, convict reintegration Au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-03-06 14:53:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13413627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rakkan/pseuds/Rakkan
Summary: Nezumi is in prison and Shion works for an inmate reitegration program.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first real fic, that I intend to actually finish AND publish. I am not a native English speaker, so please forgive any mistakes I might do. Constructive criticism is appreciated!  
> I already have something like 4 chapters written for this story, but I have quite a lot planned already. I hope you will enjoy it!
> 
> Thank you so much to Glittercracker for the beta on this first chapter, it means a lot, and I actually learned so much!
> 
> "Welcome to the real world" title comes from the song "Carry on" by Yules (I love this band, give it a go!)

 

> _The real world is risky territory for people with generosity of spirit_ – Hunter S. Thompson

_“Welcome everybody. Thank you for attending to today’s emergency briefing. As you may be aware, a few new convicts will be sent to us shortly. They are coming from the Center Prison. As usual we’ll discuss their repartition. But today’s a bit special considering the potential dangerousness of some individuals….”_

The day’s repartition meeting was starting on a more serious note than habitually. Shion was sitting straight on his chair, listening attentively to his superior’s speech. Shion was working for the National Company for Inmates Reintegration (NCIR). It was a company whose specialty was allowing soon-to-be-released convicts to work outside of prison, to help them get used to normal life again. There were multiple branches and specialties within the company. Shion was coordinator of the ecology center. His main job was to lead groups to research nature, making a lot of field work, such as taking samples or making observations, and working pair with the laboratory for the analysis. The convicts came and went, usually staying a few months. They were allowed a place to live, mostly shared apartments. However they were not given salary, to avoid any conflict related to money between convicts, but everything was provided for them, including access to some activities and hobbies. At each new arrival the whole team of coordinators would meet together to decide the attribution of all individuals. Case by case, according to personal preference and also personal history.

 But today was not an ordinary meeting. There was an odd atmosphere, a bit tense. The prison representative, a middle-aged man wearing a beautiful black suit, was showing a few beads of sweat on his forehead.

“…. And now our last case, the most… complex one. His convict identity is VC-103221. He goes by the name of… Nezumi. Yes, the rat. He’s… he’s a bit of a spirit, you’ll see. Was confined for multiple violent altercations, suspect in a murder attempt case. But that wasn’t why we locked him up this time. We caught him prostituting himself.”

At this, a nervous collective laugh could be heard.

“Don’t let yourself be fooled, he’s an incredibly smart, dangerous person.” The man in suit looked sternly at the team in front of him. He seemed somehow apprehensive.

“But if he’s that dangerous, Sir, how is it he is allowed to work with us?” Shion asked seriously. “We usually work with low-key criminals, or people with a deep wish to get back to normal life, and who proved their good will in prison…”

The representative looked quite unsettled. His hands were shaking slightly.

“VC-103221… was not an easy prisoner. Multiple accidents related to him were recorded while he was on the East Block of the Center Prison. We tried getting him sent to the West Block… only to find he started prostituting himself again… Well he really made the guards’ life a living hell, making hunger strikes and stuff like that… We also suspect he started trying to corrupt some of the guys working there.  Until we found an arrangement. He wants to see the sky, see; He was rather clear about it, and threatened to do horrible things if he was kept locked inside…. We figured out we might as well give it a try, under close surveillance of course.”

To that, there was a low, but excited murmur running across the room.

“Hey, Shion, this guy would go nicely in your department!” A man laughed smugly.  
“That is not nice, Takashi, Shion, you’re not obliged, we could… maybe get him to work on public roadworks? What do you think?”

The man in charge of public roadworks roared in opposition, stating he already had enough difficult cases, that because he was a strong man, he always ended up with the hard guys.

Shion looked at his co-workers arguing with wide eyes… What was the issue? Nezumi was apparently a complex case, but nothing about it said he was such a terrible guy… most of their convicts had been involved in violence. Okay the murder attempt was a bit upsetting but before judging, one should always know the exact circumstances. Plus, if they allowed him to come here, he couldn’t be _that_ dangerous. After all he certainly wasn’t the first prisoner to make things hard for guards. As for prostitution… Shion felt his heart tightening. How could a person resolve to sell their body this way? He was feeling sad for this man… What must his life have been? He must have gone through terrible things…”

“I’m taking him.” 

Silence fell, heavy on the room… Everyone looked at Shion with wide eyes. What a sight it was. Everyone turned to this skinny young man, with incredibly white hair, almost unnatural. Red eyes that seemed rather unsure at the moment, but which carried a resolved flame nonetheless. And this red scar wrapping around his skull, like a snake waiting to launch… A curious mix of weirdness, fragility and determination. However his young age and slightly old-fashion clothing ruined all hope of credibility. 

“Are you sure, sir? I think you lead the ecology segment…”

“Yes, I am sure this will be perfect for our new addition. He will work outside, in nature moreover. An appreciable change from concrete cells. And I will make him my personal assistant to keep an eye on him, and avoid any group work that could lead to any issues. Is this alright?”

The prison representative nodded, looking pleased at the seriousness on Shion’s face. “It’s settled then, please prepare yourselves to welcome your new convicts next Monday.”  
  
And with that, the meeting ended and each coordinator left the room, getting back to their departments.

 

* * *

 

On the next Monday, the bus carrying the new convicts arrived at the NCIR at seven in the morning. A group composed of a dozen men got off the vehicle to meet their coordinators. Shion easily found his new recruit.

The man was walking a few meters behind, apart from the others. Shion could have noticed the long raven-coloured hair hanging from a loose ponytail. He could have noticed the way that he carried an obviously heavy duffel bag on one of his shoulders as if it was nothing. Or he could have noticed the way the man walked nonchalantly, as if he owned the place, without the doubts and hesitancy that people usually showed when coming here for the first time. But Shion didn’t notice any of this. Instead, all he saw were the striking grey eyes. They were the color of silver. Or the color of a summer storm, Shion couldn’t decide.  They were stunning. Shion had rarely seen eyes that looked as wild as those. He felt like he was watching an untamed panther. A panther scrutinizing its environment, taking in every single detail, carefully planning for its next hunt. And then the panther’s eyes found Shion’s, and he found himself breathless.

“Well, are you eventually going to speak, or should I go around the place on my own?” The low voice snapped Shion out of his reverie. The man, he only then noticed, had stopped walking, and was smirking at him, a few meters away.  

“What?” Shion managed to reply

“What kind of guard are you seriously? The people around here should really worry about their staff’s qualifications!” Nezumi – Shion remembered – was looking pissed now, his arms crossed and his right foot tapping the ground nervously. And now that Shion thought of it, his deep tone seemed a bit off, compared to his androgynous built. How unexpected.

“Coordinator, actually. Not guard.” The words escaped from Shion’s lips on their own.

“What?” Nezumi answered, sounding dumbfounded.

“I am Shion. Coordinator of the ecology center. Your coordinator, actually. So I think you should show me a little more respect if you want things to go along well.” Shion tried to make himself tall, his back straight and his gaze decided. But all he received was Nezumi’s hysterical laugh.

“OH WOW. Oh my god, this one is pure, that’s for sure!!! Listen to him speak. _Respect_!! A fucking true _Royalty_ ” He laughed a few more seconds before Shion took a step towards him. All of a sudden, as if someone had flicked a switch, Nezumi straightened. “Respect, _your Majesty_ … is not something that is owed to you… It’s something you must earn.  At least, that’s the way it works in the world I come from. You know, the _real_ one.” His tone was harsh but there was an amused light in his eyes. Shion swallowed.

“Then maybe you should follow me, and decide for yourself. We’ve lost enough time as it is, come with me, I’m going to show your place, first.”

After which Shion turned on his heels and headed towards the housing area. He accelerated his pace and looked resolutely onward, trying to hide the way his legs felt weak and shaky. Nezumi followed, his bag still on his shoulder, and seemingly unable to repress a small laugh. They took only a few minutes to arrive in front of a tiny house.

“Here is your new place. This is a shared apartment, you’ll be with two other guys. They’re already working right now, but…”

“No way,” – Nezumi cut in right away.

Shion’s voice hardened. – “I don’t think you understand. We’re not here to negotiate. You were assigned this area after a full check up on your profile and record. We chose your roommates so that the possibility that you all get along is as high as possible.”

“I don’t want to share. You see, I’m a loner, a rat.” Nezumi added the last remark on a sarcastic tone.

“Rats are social animals, actually.” Shion answered matter-of-factly.

“Well I am not.”

“I already told you, you don’t have a choice.”

“We always have a choice.” Now Nezumi sounded really annoyed.

“Well you can still be sent back to prison, if you prefer.”

Nezumi bit back a sigh.

“I think, _your Highness, that_ you don’t understand…”

“Don’t call me that. And no, I don’t understand your reluctance. You were in collective cells back in there, and here it will be way more comfortable AND you will be with nice guys. They’re nice guys, I swear.”

“You don’t understand. Of course you don’t.” Nezumi almost growled the last sentence, exasperated as he was.

“Then explain to me, or I’ll never be able to help.”

“You know why I was put in prison?”

“… Yes.” – Shion was starting to feel uneasy. Guys around here rarely talked of the past.

“Then you should know why I’m not …. _Comfortable_ to share my place with other guys. Even if they’re so-called nice. Find me somewhere else.”

At this Shion found himself speechless. He hadn’t considered this. He quickly stammered

“Well… if that’s… if that’s what is worrying you, they’re both married men, and well… they’re not into… well we did made sure you weren’t with sexual criminals, or I don’t know… They’re here for real minor stuff, and a short time too…”

Nezumi burst out laughing at this. Shion stopped abruptly, looking lost.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, I wouldn’t mind it at… all but you wouldn’t want me to do anything against the law would you…” Shion suddenly wanted to punch the irritating smile out of Nezumi’s delicate features.

“How _dare_ you say such a thing? You’re lying!”

“Am I?” Now the bastard seemed rather smug, with a small smirk on his face.

Shion felt burning inside. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to think of the man’s words. Somehow this Nezumi seemed rather confident, but Shion didn’t want to trust appearances. “Let me make a call, I’ll see what I can do… but first I really need to show you the whole facility, the cafeteria and also the bus area where you’ll have to go every morning for your job, from Monday to Friday. By the way? you’ll start real work tomorrow. I’ll explain you everything once we’re there. It will be easier.”

 

* * *

 

 A few hours and a complicated phone call later, it was decided that Nezumi would be housed alone in a little room below the coordinator’s apartments. It was a small basement, an old storage-room that was abandoned for lack of light. But Nezumi swore it was perfect for a rat. Although he was sarcastic, it was a relief for the team to have come to an agreement with the already difficult man. Shion’s boss had wanted him to be sent back to jail immediately for lack of cooperation but Shion had pleaded for a little more time to be given to the convict. He wanted to give the guy a chance, because obviously no one else would. Plus he was absolutely convinced that such a difficult temperament could not be reasonless. He wanted to help this strange man.

A few employees helped bring a small bed to the newly arranged room, and they managed to re-establish water to an adjacent place that once served as a bathroom. Apparently, although the place was now full of shelves and dusty boxes full of archives, there had been cells a while ago, before the construction of the houses where inmates now lived.

And now they were left alone in the small room. It was with some curiosity that Shion observed Nezumi carefully preparing his bed in the far end of the small room. He had finally discarded his bag. Half of its content were books. Nezumi placed them carefully on a metal shelf on the side. Shion was fascinated by the almost tender way the man handled his precious belongings. The way his hands ran along the worn out spines like if they were an old friend’s skin. Or a lover’s. It was a stark contrast to how Nezumi almost threw his clothes on another shelf, not looking back at them.

“I should let you know, Nezumi, there are some rules here considering housing…”

“Mmh…” Nezumi barely rose his head. He was busy sorting his books on the shelves, in a careful order that seemed to make sense only to him.

“Well first of all, no alcohol in the facility, no smoking inside the buildings. No drugs of any sort. No pets…”

“Do goldfishes count?”

Shion looked at Nezumi with a stern face. Nezumi’s eyes shone with amusement. “And rats? Are pet rats allowed?”

“This is no fun matter, Nezumi, this is very serious. But there is one important thing: all convicts must be in their respective rooms after curfew”

“Does it mean I can have other convicts visit me before curfew?” Nezumi asked with a tone too innocent to be trustworthy. And his smirk betrayed him anyway.

Shion, however, didn’t see any of it and smiled broadly “Well you’re quite social in the end! Of course you can have other convicts come see you, it’s actually great to have social interactions as long as you do nothing illegal or violent...” Nezumi’s expression dropped altogether.

“Too bad…” Nezumi’s ironic tone slayed Shion’s enthusiasm the way a butcher cuts through bones. Hard and fast.

“Nezumi, please be serious one minute! You’re here to prove yourself reliable for society standards!”

“Do I look the “reliable type” to you?” Nezumi retorted. He took one step towards the white-haired young man in front of him, relishing on the other’s surprised face as he leaned to whisper to his ear “A leopard cannot change its spots, Shion”.

The low tone of Nezumi’s voice over his name sent shivers along Shion’s spine. This man in front of him sure was a strange one. The air around him was heavy. Standing so close to his face, Shion could see the pulse on his neck, the fine strands of hair at the back of his head that were too short to be held in his ponytail. Shion found himself feeling faint as he breathed in the dark-haired boy’s musky scent. His breath quickened as he tried to think of something to say, but he had already forgotten what he was supposed to answer.

“Unless.” And Nezumi leaned even more, his lips brushing his coordinator’s ear slightly “ _you_ prefer to be the only one to come see me. I’m sure I can make an exception for some time, but I should warn you, I am not a one woman man…”

Shion suddenly felt nauseous. “You must be joking” he breathed. He shut his eyes, pretending it would hide his embarrassment although it was obvious the whole world would be able to see right through him.

When soft fingers pressed below his chin, Shion had to repress a startled hiccup. It took him a couple of seconds before daring to look to the other man’s eyes. But as soon as he was caught in the mesmerizing, almost hypnotic silver, his breath came easier, and his heart settled to a more peaceful pace.

“I apologize for my rudeness, My Lord.” Nezumi whispered softly. He let go of Shion’s face and took a step back, and executed an elegant bow. “I was indeed joking, of course, but as I see this matter makes you so uncomfortable, I will make sure to refrain myself from mentioning it to you anymore.” Shion let out a relieved, not caring to correct this definitely odd man for the title he kept insisting on calling him by. “Now, if you please, I shall ask for a little privacy. Though your royal company is highly enjoyable, it is late already and I need to take rest for tomorrow’s hard work.” Nezumi’s smile was all teeth and reminded to Shion of the old tales her mother used to tell him. Those where wolves charmed little girls to follow them into the darkest of woods…  

Shion didn’t understand the mysterious man and his mood swings… and although he felt his presence was somehow dangerous, it was with an odd pinch to his heart that Shion returned to his own apartment that night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your amazing feedbacks on the first chapter of this fic! Kudos, bookmarks and comments are highly appreciated and motivate me so much!  
> Thanks once again to Glittercracker for your beta-reading! It really helps me :)

            His alarm rang at 5 am. Nezumi’s eyes popped open immediately. It only took him a few seconds to register where he was. The unfamiliar walls of his new room around him. The comfortable bed he was laying on – the best he had had in many years, to be honest. An old habit from prison, he got up immediately. Not time to linger in bed, when there was danger all around you. The good point in this new place though, was that there was no roommate to keep an eye on. Here Nezumi could take the time to do his morning workout in peace. To keep himself in shape. He was drenched with sweat by the time he got to the shower. As he stood beneath the water, he relished in the odd familiarity of this luxury he hadn’t been afforded in so long. Taking the time to shower with his eyes closed. He was alone here, and nothing could happen to him.

All too soon, it was time to leave the comfort of this place for the day.  Nezumi picked his clothes, his precious scarf, and put on his long-worn boots and took off for the cafeteria. His hand hesitated as he closed the door. This simple gesture: turning the key in its lock. This was the kind of detail that you didn’t really register back in prison. It was the kind of thing that you didn’t even realise you missed. But now it struck him right in the face. How long had it been since he had last been able to lock anything? Of course, he was well aware this key was only an illusion, a mirage to sooth him and make him believe he was living a normal life. He was well aware that his coordinator owned a copy of this key. But even like this, he treasured the feeling that his meager belongings were safe for now. That his books wouldn’t vanish. Again.

 

Nezumi quickly reached the cafeteria. Once inside, all hopes for a peaceful breakfast vanished. The cafeteria was already crowded. Like. Really crowded. Dozens and dozens of noisy men eating noisily around large tables. If there was one thing that Nezumi despised in the morning, it was noise. But hey, after years of prison, he had learned to simply ignore the deafening chatter. What he could not ignore, though, were the looks they cast on him. At the very least they were curious stares. A good amount, however, were clearly hostile. Nezumi had only made his first step inside the common room, and he already felt, and rightfully so, a total stranger. An outcast. All the other inmates seemed to know each other. Even the guys he shared the bus with on the previous day already seemed to belong somewhere. _The result of sharing rooms, I guess_ , Nezumi thought. But he was not bitter _. Better be alone than in bad company_. This had always been his moto. He had paid a fair price, many years ago, learning that lesson. Therefore ever since, he had always managed to stay alone. Even if that meant knocking out the too-forward inmate that served him as a roommate during his first night in prison, many years before…

            Nezumi ignored the others’ glares on his back as he took a plate and served himself bread, jam and a glass of orange juice. He chose a secluded seat in a corner of the room that allowed him to survey all exits. He didn’t lose time fidgeting around and started eating right away. Although the other men in the room quickly turned away from him, obviously more interested in their conversations, Nezumi remained wary. He knew better than to trust apparent disinterest. People were dangerous. People only waited for one false move on his part to crush him.

He needed to get out of here.  The loudness was already getting on his nerves, and he didn’t want to spend more time than necessary among the other inmates.  As soon as his meal was consumed, Nezumi went to the bus stop that Shion had indicated him. Being half an hour early, he was the first to show up. _Maybe I should bring a book next time…_ Nezumi thought as he was taking place at the back of the bus, merely nodding at the driver as he got in. He settled comfortably, his boots resting against the seat in front of him, watching carefully towards the way the others should come from. He didn’t miss Shion arriving at a peaceful pace, talking enthusiastically with a young woman with square cut hair. They hugged briefly before parting ways. The girl’s hands lingering longer than necessary on Shion’s arm. But Shion didn’t notice, he was already walking towards the bus, wearing a broad smile. _Typical…._ Sneered Nezumi. The girl’s gaze followed Shion’s back for a couple more seconds before she ran back to a building.

“Oh. Nezumi.” Shion’s tone was soft and warm as he got in the bus. He quickly shook the driver’s hand before joining Nezumi at the back of the bus. “I wasn’t expecting to find you there so early!” His smile was irritating, how could someone smile so much so early in the morning? He extended his hand towards Nezumi’s but retracted it after a few seconds as Nezumi wasn’t moving an inch.

“I was looking for calm,” was his only answer.

Shion looked at him quizzically before smiling again, gently. “Well, sorry for disturbing you. I wanted to talk to you actually. Do you know what your job will consist of?”

“How would I know?” The raven-haired man shrugged. “Unless my memory is failing me, which I doubt, you told me nothing about it.”

“Oh well, others could have informed you… You didn’t talk with them, did you?” His tone was sad, borderline pitiful. Nezumi’s pointed glare was enough of an answer.

“Well I good news for you. First of all, your wish was granted: you will mainly do field work. Open air, nature… no concrete cell! I made sure of it.” Shion’s gentle words caught Nezumi’s attention. He looked right at the curious ruby eyes. They should have been devilish, frightening, but somehow they only carried fondness. Nezumi didn’t like how uncomfortable they made him. Fondness was a lie.  “Secondly, I decided to make you my personal assistant.” Shion seemed extra happy to announce this news to him.

“Am I supposed to be proud to have been picked by His Majesty in person?” Nezumi sniggered. Shion scowled.

“Stop calling me that. And, well, I hoped you would realise the amount of _trust_ such a responsibility requires…”

_THERE IT WAS. The lie._

“Cut it!” Nezumi snarled. “First of all, trusting a stranger is bullshit.” Shion flinched at the word.  “But you know that, don’t you? You wouldn’t be _that_ stupid.” Nezumi’s voice was low, a threatening growl. Shion fidgeted around but didn’t have the time to answer as Nezumi added curtly, “Of course you’re not that stupid. And I’m not either.” Leaning toward Shion, who was now looking even paler, his scar standing out even more, Nezumi continued, “I know. I know that you only want to keep a closer eye on me.” Shion was trembling slightly now, and Nezumi’s voice dropped even lower, threatening. “Don’t you. Dare. Decide for me what I should feel about my situation. I don’t give a shit you made me your pet rat. I’ve seen worse, trust me on this one.”

Shion was absolutely speechless. A quick glance to the window, and Nezumi noticed a group of men walking towards them.  “They’re coming.” He added quickly. “Move your ass or they’ll wonder what happened and you’ll lose what little credibility you have among your men.” Shion shook his head, completely lost, before going to the front of the bus, taking the first seat. Nezumi heard the small comment from the driver, something along the lines of, _“A difficult one, this fellow.”_ Shion smiled reassuringly and greeted each convict as they came and slowly filled the bus.

 

Although everyone looked at Nezumi with distrust, the ride went peacefully. It took less than half an hour to arrive at the edge of a vast forest. Armed guards were already there. Everyone quickly got out of the bus, Nezumi being the last one to finally join the group in front of Shion.

“Hi everyone!” Shion’s beam was infuriating. “Well, as you may know, we have a new recruit today. Please, welcome Nezumi! However, his coming won’t disturb you too much as he will be working primarily with me.”

Nezumi repressed the urge to roll his eyes. How naïve could Shion be to make such an introduction. But maybe it was deliberate. Perhaps his coordinator wasn’t as mindless as he looked, and he had planned it all along so that Nezumi would get beaten up by the other inmates? Nezumi grinned _. If that’s the case, you’re gonna have a hell of a surprise, Your Majesty..._ Shion was now rambling about the teamwork for the day. It consisted of taking tree samples, and giving orders to the dozen other convicts of the team. He seemed completely impervious to the murmurs around him. But Nezumi heard every single one. He chose to ignore them, waiting patiently, standing against a tree trunk for Shion to get back to him.

 

“Sorry for the wait. Here I am,” Shion apologized, his hand rubbing the back of his head.

“No problem. I was very busy observing you carefully explaining to the rest of the group how I would have this privileged relationship with you from the start,” Nezumi answered, his eyes meeting Shion’s in a daring glare.

“Oh.” Shion cocked his head to one side, an uneasy smile on his face. “Well… maybe it was unskilful… Still. We can’t deny the truth to them…can we?” The last remark was made with a slightly bitter undertone.

“My, how fast they grow!” was Nezumi’s immediate answer, a bright grin directed to his new co-worker. “Shall you show me the way, then, Your Highness?”

Shion laughed softly before gesturing to him. “Follow me. The others will stay with the guards. They are collecting samples of trees we planted there a few years ago, to compare them to the local flora. However my – our – job is a bit different. There is a water source a bit further into the woods. I spent the last few weeks studying it.”

“You spent a few WEEKS studying a… water source?” Nezumi was dumbstruck.

“Ahaha. Yeah, you’ll soon understand why. It’s actually pretty complex, there are tons of observations to make, multiple factors that can make the results vary. But don’t worry, your job will be rather easy.”

They soon arrived near a little stream. It was coming from below a tree’s roots and flowing among the tree trunks. The ground was soft around it, and multiple plants were growing all over the area. The air was fresh, and filled with various bird and insect sounds. Overall a beautiful setting… However nothing but ordinary.

“Well that’s just plain water to me…” Nezumi grumbled, hands shoved in his pockets.

“To you, but you will soon learn to watch it with brand new eyes,” Shion answered proudly. He carefully walked to the water stream, knelt next to it, and took tubes from his little bag. He filled each tube with water before labelling them.

“Your job for now will be easy. In this bag there are many tubes. We will collect various samples: water, soil, plants, tree bark, and insects. We need to tag each tube properly – I will help you with this, as it’s crucial — and then those will be sent to the lab tonight.” Shion was talking fast, obviously excited to show his work to his new convict.

“Don’t tell me you spend your whole days doing… THAT?” Nezumi almost sounded disgusted.

“What, do you have something against studying nature? What did you expect?” Shion seemed annoyed.

“Well I don’t know what I was expecting. Maybe a real job. Maybe something useful? Here we are just picking grass and sending it to I-don’t-know-who to do stupid tests…  Who cares?”

Shion looked at him, lost in thought. After what seemed an eternity he finally spoke. “Come with me Nezumi,” and turned away from the water source, walking back towards the bus. Once there he spoke to the driver before getting in. “Come in, I want to show you something.”

 

* * *

 

   Nezumi didn’t know what to think. The drive was obviously totally improvised, and Shion was very silent. He had the impression this was not something usual for the white-haired guy. They drove for a good twenty minute, before the bus came to a halt. Shion thanked the driver before reaching outside. Nezumi followed him, and stopped abruptly as he was now standing in front of one of the most ill-looking forests he had ever witnessed. The trees were tall, obviously old. But they were skinny-looking. There weren’t many leaves on the too few branches, and the leaves weren’t the bright green they should have been, but more of a dirty yellowish color. The ground, unlike the forest they came from, wasn’t covered in dead leaves. It looked dusty. There weren’t many plants, and the few there were looked sunburnt. The most striking difference, though, was the heavy silence, and lack of forest smell. Nezumi felt goosebumps on his arms. He felt nauseous.

            “This, Nezumi, is the reason for my work. This forest is only one example of the terrible, inevitable fate that awaits every forest if we keep destroying the environment. Although I can’t work against the industry and bad living habits of people, I can try to understand what makes forests stronger and healthier. The forest we come from is an exception. For unknown reasons, it still manages to expand and grow amazingly each year. We decided to make many experiments on it. We planted trees there, to compare them to the trees we planted in ill forests or neutral places. But my job mostly consists of finding the little abnormalities, the plants that grow where they shouldn’t, the streams that run where there was no water beforehand… Try to understand what makes a place durable, to try to reproduce it later.” Shion walked a bit among the trees, held his hand to caress a tree trunk lightly, before turning to his very pale listener. “Trees are our future, and it is our role to protect them, Nezumi.”

Everything started spinning.

 

_…“Trees are our future, and it is our role to protect them, Nezumi.” His mom was silently cutting parasite lianas off a tree. She was smiling softly at the four-years old at her feet, holding his hands to gather the lianas she had just cut. “Most of the men forgot this truth, little mouse, but it’s our role to carry the message. Our God, the mighty Elyurias, gave us the power to help Nature. Without it, we will all disappear, and this would be such a waste because this world is so beautiful”. She stopped to place her soft hand against the round cheek of the child. She then started singing a soothing song and Nezumi joined her, and somehow everything seemed perfect, like nothing bad could ever happen…._

“… Nezumi? Are you alright?” Shion had his hand on Nezumi’s cheek.  His red eyes full with worry. The raven-haired man was sprawled on the ground. At the realisation of their position, Nezumi jerked away.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” he growled.  The hand retreated from his cheek, leaving it cold and empty, but Nezumi ignored the feeling.

“You looked pale, and then you collapsed, holding your head in your hands and muttering strange things…” Shion looked genuinely concerned. “Elyurias.” Nezumi rose his gaze to meet his coordinator’s.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He seemed defensive. Shion was lost. He didn’t know what he was witnessing exactly, didn’t know if he was fit to deal with it.

“Are you okay, Nezumi? Maybe you want to go away. If you don’t feel right we can return to the center, and you could even work in another gr…”

“No.” Nezumi’s tone allowed no question. Shion looked completely abashed. “I just remembered something, it’s nothing. I want to work with you. You’re right, it’s our role to protect the trees. But don’t think I’m doing this for you or anyone else.”

The grey eyes carried a resolute expression that immediately brought a bright smile across Shion’s face. “You’re a mystery to me, Nezumi, but I’m glad you’re here to help.”

 

They looked at each other for a few more minutes that should have felt like eternity, but oddly didn’t. And then Shion remembered they should get back to work, and so they walked back to the bus.

 

            The rest of the convicts didn’t comment on their return, but their lingering gazes gave no doubt to Nezumi about the kind of rumours that had run wild during their absence. He chose to ignore them, held his head high as he walked next to Shion. It was stupid to feel proud to have this place, next to the man who was supposed to be their chief. But he couldn’t help relishing the superior feeling it brought to him. The look on the other convicts’ faces was priceless. All his life he had been looked at like pest, looked down upon, been used as a tool. So it was only normal for him to appreciate the pleasure of the being in power for once. Not that he had never been in power before; but he was tired of having to pretend to bow his head in order to manipulate others or hide his plans. Here, he could walk with his back straight and look far away. Because here he was in open air, and this was his playing feel. He was not a trapped rat anymore.

            They returned to the water source to collect the samples they were due to bring back to the laboratory. At quarter to noon, they returned to the bus to gather sandwiches and Shion went to sit on the ground among the rest of the men, chattering happily with them, apparently oblivious to the underlying tension among them. Nezumi decided to sit a little bit on the side, and quietly observe. The other convicts were turning their backs to him, whispering things. From time to time, some of them would turn their heads and look at him. Sometimes they would snigger. After a while, everyone was done eating, they got up to get back to work. Shion went to the bus to gather some more equipment.

 Nezumi was watching him when two men approached him. “Hey Nezumi, is it?” He watched the guy who had addressed him, his square face and smug smile. He was showing off his muscular build. Nezumi chose not to answer, he only locked his eyes onto the other one’s gaze. “What, you lost your tongue? Got it too stuck to Shion’s ass?” At the vulgar remark a few other convicts laughed wholeheartedly, whereas some cringed uneasily. Nezumi’s smirk was confident, his voice seductive. “You wish, don’t you?” He approached the other man, taking his chin in between his fingers. “But I’m not an easy man, o rude peasant. And if you lust after my company, I am sad to tell you the price is certainly beyond the content of your meager purse.” The man jolted, his fist barely missing Nezumi’s gut, the raven boy having swiftly taken a step aside. The next second, Nezumi had the other man sprawled on the ground, tightly gripping his neck, his knee firmly pressed on the man’s back. “I advise you not to mess with me, old man, I’m far out of your class,” he whispered in his ear.  Far in the distance Nezumi heard Shion’s voice shouting. He quickly got up, and stood relaxed in front of the coordinator, who arrived running to kneel next to the convict on the ground.

“WHY DID YOU DO THAT NEZUMI?” was the first sentence that hit Nezumi’s brain.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty, I’m fairly sure such a commotion won’t happen again. Will it?” The next words were addressed to the rest of the group. Nezumi stood straight in front of them. Nobody answered, most of them looking at their feet.

But Shion didn’t let it go. He gripped Nezumi’s elbow to draw him away from the rest of the convicts. “I don’t know what the heck just happened, Nezumi, but you can’t just physically assault others like that! Gosh, if anything bad happened, you should have come to _me._ ”

Nezumi rolled his eyes. “Nothing happened. Hey, breathe, I didn’t kill the guy. I just gently, yet firmly explained to him that one can’t just publicly suggest I lick your ass without consequences.” He blinked at a very confused Shion. “At least this little altercation gave me ideas in case His Majesty wants to call for my services in the middle of the n – Mphhhhh.”

Shion had his hand over Nezumi’s mouth. His teeth gritted together he hissed. “Don’t you dare mention that again. It’s disgusting. Now. Get to work before you get us in more trouble. I’ll talk to the others.” Without another word, he gave all the equipment to his new recruit and let him go to the water source.

            They worked in silence for the rest of the afternoon, and the drive back to the center was equally calm. Nezumi watched the trees pass from the window, his mind wandering from concrete, cold cells to the hottest fires rising high in the night sky.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, this is the chapter I am the least proud of, expect next one to be better, in my opinion ;) I had struggle with the scenes at work, but I needed to set things a little bit before going the way I want to go ;) Tell me what you expect, this could be fun :D (I won't tell anything though :p )


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! 
> 
> First things first, I want to thank Glittercracker once again for the *amazing* beta-reading. Thank you so much for bearing with me and my awkward mistakes lmao.   
> Also thanks to voxiferious for the help with some vulgar expressions XD 
> 
> And also thanks to you all, readers! I am amazed to see this story seems to interest quite a lot of people, this is very gratifying ! All kudos, comments and bookmarks mean a lot and keep me going! Thank you all!
> 
> Once again I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

“You’re crazy”.

“Safu! Let me explain at least!”

“He’s the most dangerous convict we’re currently hosting. Possibly the most dangerous convict we’ve _ever_ hosted. He was put in jail for a freaking _murder attempt_! For God’s sake Shion, what are you thinking?”

Shion let out a tired sigh. “First, he was only _suspected_ of murder attempt, no proof has been made against him. They put him in jail for the violence and prostitution – let me speak!”

She didn’t understand him. Shion had come after work once again to discuss the arrival of VC-103221. She had heard of this Nezumi long before he came to their establishment. As a psychiatrist, the federals had asked her opinion on Nezumi’s transfer to the NCIR. She had never hidden her concern about the project. Criminals who showed no remorse, no fear of authority were prone to backslide. However, she hadn’t been the one deciding, and here she was now in this delicate situation. Shion was known for his kind heart and optimistic mind. But both as his best friend and a practitioner, she was worried for him. Nezumi’s outburst against Arugo earlier this day had led to a formal investigation. Several testimonies had shown that Arugo had been the one starting the fight. But it didn’t excuse Nezumi for his violence. It was his second day in the facility, and Nezumi was already making waves… Shion knew well that during the next weekly meeting, there would be demands for a psychiatric examination on him. And for some reason, he had come to ask Safu to volunteer.

“I hope you realise this is corruption. This is a serious matter, Shion, I don’t understand you.”

Shion looked down at his fingers, twisting them. His voice was soft and a tiny smile was showing on his lips.

“He’s… uncanny, for sure.” Shion’s gaze rose to meet Safu’s. “But I swear, I feel it deep inside me, he’s not a bad man. He’s full of wrath but… he looks like he had such a tough life. He deserves more time. To adjust. To get to know us. But…”

“But he’s an insolent, infuriating and provocative jerk. Shion…” Safu huffed before taking her head in her hands. “What are you doing to me? OKAY. I’ll volunteer.” Shion’s face brightened immediately. He looked like a puppy who just saw his owner bringing the leash for the morning walk.

“Thank you Safu, I love you so much, you’re the best.” He took her warmly in his arms. As her head laid on his shoulder, he missed the bittersweet expression on her face.   
“Yeah, Shion… me too…”

 

* * *

 

 

Nezumi woke up with his heart beating fast and sweat rolling between his shoulder blades. The air was fresh and he was shivering. He guessed he must have had another nightmare but he couldn’t remember it. And for all he knew, he didn’t care. Only the present mattered. He extended his arm to fetch the clock, and saw it was only 4 am. He had awoken almost an hour too early, but already too late to get back to sleep. So he’d better get up, and simply go through his morning work-out. The routine, the regularity of the exercises were what grounded him. It felt good, to push hard on his arms, to get his heart to beat fast for a reason, to get his brain to empty and his back to burn. This morning especially, the effort was even more rewarding than usual. His sharp breath breaking the silence. Time to shower, he decided.

The shower. Oh! This was the best reward he could have. He had made the right choice, he thought, as warm water was running on his head, slowly reaching his scalp, and along his spine, down his thigh and between his ankles, giving him delicious chills. He was so much better here. Alone, calm. Busy, even. And most importantly, he was not permanently shut in one of those atrocious concrete cells _. If there was a fire_ , he thought, _the flames would rise to the sky_.

Nezumi didn’t think very often of the past. But the previous day’s odd vision was still in his mind as his lower back burned once more beneath the scalding water. But was it too hot or was it only his mind playing tricks once more? Anyway, it was time to get clothed and go outside. This time he took a backpack and a few books as he made his way to the cafeteria. It was still very early – too early – and very few men were sat at the large tables. Nezumi considered taking a seat too, but the glares he received and the whispering quickly made him change his mind. _Too early to deal with this shit_. He took an apple, and walked to the bus area. But the drivers weren’t there yet. Checking his watch, Nezumi repressed a sigh. _One hour left_ … He could have just sat next to the bus, but he didn’t like staying there. When he was reading, it was easy to sneak behind his back. Looking around him, Nezumi noticed the building Shion had come from the previous day. It was a bit further away, and gave a nice view on the cafeteria. He supposed he would also hear the driver when he arrived. Once he reached the entrance, he was glad to notice the stairs. Sitting there, he took his book, and started reading.

.

.

.

            “Nezumi?”

Startled at the soft call of his name, Nezumi almost dropped his book as he got up to face the source of the voice. “Shion…” Nezumi muttered, as his heartbeat slowed to a decent rate. He wanted to shout at the other man for alarming him. But of course, he couldn’t do that. Instead he searched for this watch, fumbling with his sleeves.  “Am I late?”

“Don’t worry, you still have half an hour. I always come in advance.” Shion smiled as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t entered Nezumi’s safety zone without the other man noticing. A bright smile, and kind ruby eyes that pierced through Nezumi’s mind. “You’re reading?”

“Wow, your sharp mind struck once again, I see.” Nezumi’s tone was defiant, his gaze dark. Shion’s eyes widened a bit as he took a step back and cocked his head on this side.

“Wow. Good morning, too, Nezumi.” He looked offended.

_Of course_. He couldn’t understand his reaction. Nezumi gave a sigh, his shoulders dropping. “I am sorry, Your Majesty. Please forgive my rudeness.” He really needed to get his shit together, rules here were different.  He got up, shoving his book back in his bag and looking up at Shion, who was staring back from the top of the stairs. His head was still cocked but his eyes had softened. With the rising sun reflecting on them, they wore an almost mystical look.

“Why do you call me that?” he asked.

“Call you what?” Nezumi replied lazily as he took the first steps toward the bus, which was now open for them to climb in.

“Your Majesty. It’s inappropriate!” Nezumi closed his eyes as Shion’s voice reached his ears. He was right behind him, having to trot to catch up with him. Suddenly he felt the smaller man’s hand closing on his arm. It took all his will power, and a sharp inhale to avoid turning too violently on his coordinator.

“Is it?” he breathed through clenched teeth. Shion’s stare at him was serious, and unwavering. His grip was strong but not painful. An easy twist of his wrist and the roles were reversed, Nezumi taking Shion’s arm to pull at him and whisper in his ear, “It doesn’t seem inappropriate to me. I didn’t choose you but still you have complete power over me. You live in a wealth I’ve never achieved and certainly never will. You think you can change my life but you have no idea what world our folk lives in. You’re there, commanding people when you have no right to, when you’ve never had to prove anything whereas we always have to prove ourselves. You’re unreachable…”

To this, Shion took a step back, seeming unsure what to say. “You’re wrong…”

“Pardon me?” Nezumi snorted. “We’re not allowed to go in the same buildings as far as I know. I can’t even put my hand to your throat – ” he raised his free hand to place his fingers lightly over the white-haired man’s wind pipe, feeling his heavy gulp as he did so “ – without risking being taken away immediately by your guards.” The last words were merely a murmur, a string of air brushing at Shion’s cheeks.

Shion shook his head at the statement. His eyes locked on Nezumi’s glare as he pressed his hand against Nezumi’s, thus forcing his throat harder against the other man’s palm. “You can reach me,” he whispered. “We live in the same world Nezumi. Only we don’t have the same view of it….”

Nezumi huffed at the ridiculous sentence. He shook his hands away and resumed walking to the bus, but stopped when Shion spoke to his back.

“It’s like the forest, Nezumi… Like I showed you yesterday… Some are broken and ill, but with care and time… I am sure we can nurse them back to health and beauty.”

Looking over his shoulder, Nezumi answered flatly, “I am not so sure, Your Majesty. Some fires burn the forest to the roots, and the only things left are  ashes that gather in your airways and choke you as you breath them in.” And with this, he left the coordinator to take a seat at the back of the bus. His back itched but he ignored the minor discomfort.

 

* * *

 

 

Once arrived in the forest, Shion brought the group to a new area where they started collecting samples again. The other inmates worked in pairs. They all had their roles. Some were there to collect the samples, others had to organize them. They took notes and talked light-heartedly. Nezumi observed them as Shion was occupied collecting soil, looking fascinated at the numerous insects he saw, noting everything frenetically on a small notepad. His curious eyes so focused, they looked almost brown.

At some point, an inmate started using a large liana to whip a colleague, shouting lewdly as he did so. Everyone laughed, rolling their eyes as Shion asked for them to calm down and get back to work, hiding a small smile. Nezumi would have imagined a coordinator would be harder on them than that. He didn’t understand how Shion managed to get his team together with such a lenient attitude, but still. Somehow it worked, as everyone was getting their work done.

At the lunch break, everyone took their sandwich and sat on the ground, chewing happily. Shion was once again chattering with everyone, asking for news. One of the guys’ wife had given birth the day before. She had been pregnant right when he was imprisoned for stealing money at his workplace.

“Hey boss, you think they’ll let me see my baby at the hospital? I made my appeal a few weeks ago but they said I’d have to wait to get the answer. The wife isn’t too happy, but well you know… hormones n’ everything, she ain’t an easy one!”

Another guy burst out laughing. “Admit you only wanna have your way!! Hormones, hey?”

Almost everyone laughed loudly as Shion answered to the guy softly, telling him he had asked the hierarchy, but as he only had a few weeks left here before being released, he would probably have to wait. The guy’s shoulders dropped in disappointment.  

“And you, boss, you have a kid and a wife waiting for you at home?” another asked.

Nezumi didn’t miss few men snickering, looking right at him. “As if that fag would ever go for a woman.” Nezumi pointedly ignored them as Shion smiled. “No wife for me, guys… And as for kids….” He patted the ground, holding a flower delicately between his fingers, “I guess this forest is sort of my baby.” He smiled tenderly at the flower.

“And now…. Time to baby sit again everyone!” He winked at the group, getting up again as they were half-heartedly complaining. “Nezumi, come with me!”

Nezumi got up and gathered his stuff before following Shion. Silently he took the boxes his coordinator handed him. “I want to collect some flowers with their roots. We’ll grow them back at the facility.” Nezumi nodded, getting to work.

“Your Majesty?” he asked after a while.

Shion was kneeling beside him. His hand deeply buried in the soil, he stopped moving, waiting for the other man to continue.

“Do you have a family? At home, I mean…”

“Here is my family, Nezumi.” Shion smiled easily. “I live here, you know.”

“Yeah, one of the apartments above mine, I saw that. But… don’t you have parents, friends, outside of here?”

Shion took his time to answer. “I have my mom, but she lives in town and I can go see her fairly often. As for my friends. Well my colleagues are my friends. There is also Safu. She works as a psychiatrist here you know. We went to school together.”

Nezumi hummed. “You look like a workaholic to me.”

“Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life, as the saying goes.” Shion’s voice was cheerful. “And you Nezumi, don’t you have a family, friends, waiting for you to join them outside?”

Nezumi froze, his silver eyes looking empty for a second, before he closed them. “Why would I burden myself with people? I’m great on my own you know.” Shion seemed to hesitate. Nezumi caught his eyelashes – white, he noticed – fluttering, and his Adam’s apple moving as he gulped. Eventually he spoke, his voice careful.

“I’m sorry Nezumi… I checked your record yesterday.” Nezumi didn’t answer, but he resumed working, gaze focused on his task. _He should have known better._

“It says you were suspected of trying to…”

“You should know when to stop for your own good, your Majesty.” Nezumi’s voice was gentle but his eyes were hard. “Don’t try to understand me, the only ones who tried are now dead.”

Shion fell silent for a few seconds, looking at the other man. He was quite beautiful, this man. His muscles stood out below his T-shirt. Even stained with dirt, his hands were elegant; his long, raven hair attached in a ponytail apart from a few strands sticking to his neck. His neck, so delicate and strong at the same time. Pale skin that led to a strong jaw… and even stronger eyes. Mesmerizing eyes the color of a blade. Shion breathed deeply. This beautiful man, who had spent more years in prison than most of the convicts here. He reminded him of shattered mirrors, whose numerous facets were so hypnotizing, but showed a distorted reflection of reality. Shattered mirrors were both amazingly entrancing and extremely sharp. So sharp. 

Suddenly his eyes got teary, he didn’t know why. Nezumi’s eyes widened at the sight of the first tear rolling along Shion’s cheek. But as Shion resumed working without a word, he did the same.

 

* * *

 

 

When it was time for them to get their dinner, the convicts all went to the cafeteria. Most of them were exhausted from their day of hard working, and so the ambiance was rather quiet, considering the amount of people gathered in the building. Nezumi got himself a plate and a place next to a group of silent guys who didn’t seem to be too much of a nuisance. He ate his supper tranquilly. His mind wandered to the day’s events. Shion was too curious for his own good. He had the feeling the man wanted to get to know him. To get inside his skin, inside his head and analyse him like he analysed the pieces of bark they collected. _You’ll only find fire. And at this rate you’ll end as scorched and hurt as the others_. The others. There was a time when he wasn’t so hostile to his fellows. But that time was over now, and the only contacts he still sought were those from whom he had something to gain. _Speaking of which…_

“HEY! The rat! I heard you were a whore back in prison!” The man calling out to him seemed rather smug, all his friends laughing heavily around him. Nezumi was used to it. He could have ignored the remark but right now it seemed a nice distraction enough. Turning in his direction, he took note of the broad shoulders and nice enough lips. The guy looked rather clean. A good point for him. It was a change from those scums he had to hang out with lately. Yeah, this guy would do, after all.

Nezumi winked at him, lips turning up oh so slightly.

“Are you interested?” He got up, taking a few steps toward the guy, who stopped laughing altogether as whistles could be heard around them. “I can give you a sample if you wish.” The words were breathed against the guy’s neck as Nezumi sat on the table next to him. The guy turned to him, an eyebrow quirked in defiance. “Bored already?”

Nezumi’s smile broadened. “You have no idea…” Over the guy’s shoulder he could see a few guards speaking to one another, one of them running to the coordinator’s room. The image of a single tear rolling down a pale cheek, above a reddish scar flashed in front him. His lips crashed against the other guy’s, and he ignored his surprised inhale as he kissed the man fully.

In all honesty it wasn’t a really good kiss. The guy was apparently self-conscious, and he lacked the boldness Nezumi craved. But still it was lips, and tongue, and around them he could hear the whistles and people cheering excitedly. It was enough to clear his mind and get his body to go numb. The guy cupped his jaw, letting a moan as Nezumi licked his lips and it was enough of an invitation to get closer and grind against him. The guy’s breathing was hard and Nezumi could feel him shaking as he took his hands lower on his body. But right when it was getting interesting he felt a strong grip on his shoulder and didn’t have time to register as he was brutally thrown away from the panting guy’s lap.

“NEZUMI!!! IN MY OFFICE! NOW!”

Shion’s furious glare paralyzed Nezumi for a second, and he was still so far gone. But his coordinator didn’t give him the time to think further as he took him by the neck and strongly pushed him onward. This woke Nezumi up, and he broke away from the white-haired man, noticing his own rasping breathing as he retorted, “Hey, give me a break will you?!”

“How. DARE. YOU?!” Shion was furious. Almost scary. His blood-coloured eyes were fixed at Nezumi in a threatening glare. Nezumi shook his shoulders looking at the door, then at the man. “Show me the way, sir. I’m new, here, if you remember.” He dropped in a tone that was, hopefully, nonchalant. 

Shion took him once again by the T-shirt and dragged him, mumbling something that sounded a lot like, “The hell I know you’re new here….”

They arrived in Shion’s office and the door slammed hard behind them. Shion didn’t take the time to sit behind his desk, he leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.

“Explain yourself.”

Nezumi looked at him dumbfounded. He felt dizzy, blood slowly coming back to his brain as he took in his surroundings. He was starting to note the number of potted plants in the place, when Shion punched the door, startling him.

“EXPLAIN YOURSELF!”

Well. _That was unexpected_. “What is there to explain, if I may ask?”

“Oh. I don’t know. Like why the hell were you almost getting off on that guy’s lap in the middle of the fucking cafeteria?”

“Well I didn’t know making out was forbidden, you told me nothing about it yesterday.”

“That. Is not. The. Question.” Shion was trembling, his face red and eyes still furious, but his breathing was getting steadier.

Nezumi decided this little game had lasted long enough. He was tired, and needed to be alone “The guy made advances on me, I wanted to kiss him, we kissed, end of the story. What’s the issue with that?”

Shion’s exasperated sigh was enough of an answer. “Nezumi the guy was almost coming on you!”

“Well it’s not my fault if I’m a good kisser. Wanna try it?”

Nezumi didn’t expect Shion’s slap but the guy was too slow and he was faster, catching Shion’s hand before it hit his face.

“WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH YOU?!” the white-haired man almost howled at him.

“I could ask you the same question,” Nezumi growled. “Do you often hit your men, Shion?”

Shion looked like someone had just punched him in the face. Suddenly he started shaking, blushing heavily. His arms went limp. Nezumi released him, judging he was no threat anymore. Still he kept a cautious eye on him as Shion sat on his chair, taking his head in his hand.

“Please, forgive me, I forgot myself.” Shion’s shaky voice was low. Under Nezumi’s scrutinizing gaze, he took a series of deep breaths before finally raising his eyes. “What got into to your head Nezumi?”

“And what got into yours? We were only kissing. Nothing to panic about to my knowledge.”

“Normal people don’t go nearly having sex in public right after their arrival in an inmate reintegration center….”

“I arrived three days ago!”

“Still, Nezumi. What were you thinking? Did you want to get something from him? No one is allowed to use money here you know.”

“I’ve had enough,” Nezumi barked, turning around, but as he tried to open the door, the knob somehow refused to obey. “The fuck?” he growled, looking at Shion. “You locked us in?!”

“I wanted to have a proper talk with you.”

“Great! Don’t you have better things to do Shion? Your days are longer than mine and still I’m exhausted. Let’s be done with it.” The last sentence was almost a plea. Shion sighed deeply.

“I can’t have you prostituting yourself again… It’s for your own good….”

“For fuck’s sake SHION, I. Was. Not. Prostituting. Myself. I just freaking kissed a guy, that’s all!!” Nezumi was now gesturing broadly, hands above his head. Clearly frustrated way beyond his usual tolerance level.

“Nezumi you need to understand. Don’t give them reason to throw you back there…”

“That’s none of your business to my knowledge!”

Shion’s eyes hardened “Actually. It is. As your coordinator I’m responsible for your actions. But you’re right, I’m exhausted. You exhaust me. I still have a meeting in 10 minutes I need to attend. So I’ll let you go for now, but I don’t want to hear more about you tonight.” Nezumi’s relieved sigh was audible to the both of them. And he hated himself for that.

Shion got up to unlock the door. Before they parted ways, he took a last look at his convict. “Nezumi. You have to know. They’ll request a psychiatric examination for you. I won’t be able to prevent it. So if you want to avoid being sent to I-don’t-know-what-medical-facility. Please. Behave”. Nezumi’s eyes widened. Shion made an attempt at reaching toward him before obviously thinking better of it and dropping his arm.

“Goodnight Nezumi.”

As the other man left, Shion rested his head against the cool doorframe.


End file.
